Wizards 2014 Las Vegas NBA Summer League Roster Taking Shape

[Luke Harangody played with the Denver Nuggets at the 2013 Las Vegas NBA Summer League; in 2014 he looks to be with the Washington Wizards.]

The Washington Wizards will travel to Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League this July without a new draft pick for the first time since 2009. That year they sold the 32nd overall pick, Jermaine Taylor, to the Houston Rockets; Washington’s fifth overall pick in 2009 was traded to Minnesota for Mike Miller and Randy Foye prior to the draft. That summer, Andray Blatche, Nick Young, Dominic McGuire, and JaVale McGee (going into their fifth, third, third, and second NBA seasons respectively) all participated on the team (Javaris Crittenton did, too, for what it’s worth).

This summer, with no first round pick (and not even a second round pick!) to speak of, the headliners will be the Wizards’ 2013 draft class: Otto Porter, Jr. and Glen Rice, Jr.

The opportunity for both is important, and the spotlight may not be as warm. Porter will be looking to prove that he’s not a bust after a flop of a rookie year, and Rice is still looking to make any type of impression that will lead to playing time. With Martell Webster’s injury, Trevor Ariza’s free agency status uncertain, and a thin Wizards backcourt otherwise (aside from the aforementioned, only Andre Miller and Garrett Temple are lined up to be the guards/wings off the bench after John Wall and Bradley Beal), there is plenty of opportunity to be had for both Porter and Rice.

Opportunity for free agents, undrafted and otherwise, to make the Wizards roster out of summer league could exist at greater levels than the past. Then again, even with Chris Singleton and Trevor Booker seemingly on the outside-looking-in at the final roster of 15, leaving two spots open for new players, roster space could still be tight. The Wizards are said to prefer (cheaper) veterans who could aid another playoff push instead of players who might take longer to develop.

That said, there will be a couple interesting veterans on the roster in Vegas (Daniel Orton and Luke Harangody, for instance). And it would certainly behoove the Wizards to make roster room should they find a young diamond in the rough (even if unlikely), as smart teams always think about the generation in waiting (of which the Wizards don’t have much value aside from Wall and Beal), and rarely sell draft picks for a cash grab when they could very well be stashed for development overseas.

Without further ado, in addition to Porter and Rice, Washington’s 2014 Summer League roster looks to be taking shape with the names below, bringing the current known total to 10 players. There are still some moving parts, and perusing the list, there certainly seems to be a dearth of lead guards. Nonetheless…

Undrafted Rookie Free Agents

Khem Birch – 6’9″ forward/center out of UNLV; worked out for Wizards on June 17.

Daniel Miller – 6’11” center out of Georgia Tech; worked out for Wizards on June 16.

Ian Chiles – 7’2″ center out of Morgan State; worked out for Wizards on June 18.

Jarell Eddie – 6’7″ guard/forward out of Virginia Tech; worked out for Wizards on June 11.

Deonte Burton – 6’4″ guard out of Marquette; 6’1″ guard out of Nevada; worked out for Wizards on June 17. [Ed. Note: Wizards press release initially indicated Burton from Marquette, but he is returning to school.]

The Wizards had their eye on both Birch and Burton with pick 46 but, at that juncture, felt that both players would be available as undrafted free agents instead.

Veteran Free Agents

Daniel Orton – 6’10” forward/center out of Kentucky; drafted 29th overall by Orlando in 2010; has played 51 regular season NBA games with the Magic, Thunder, and 76ers, and has played 55 D-League games with three different teams.

Kim English – 6’6″ guard out of Missouri (from Baltimore); drafted 44th overall by Detroit in 2012; has played 41 regular season games with Detroit (’12-13) and in three D-League games; spent last season playing overseas in Italy and France.

Luke Harangody – 6’8″ forward out of Notre Dame; drafted 52nd overall by Boston in 2010; has played 70 regular season NBA games with Boston and Cleveland and has 33 career D-League games under his belt; spent last season playing in Russia.

Summer League Schedule

The Wizards will kick off play in Las Vegas at 4:3o p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 12, against the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta’s team could also feature John Jenkins, Dennis Schroder, Mike Muscala, Adreian Payne, Walter Tavares, and Lamar Patterson.

Washington will play the Minnesota Timberwolves at 10:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 13. Flip Saunders’ team could field a squad that includes Shabazz Muhammad, Robbie Hummel, Gorgui Dieng, Zach LaVine, Glenn Robinson III, and Martel Brown.

In their third game, the Wizards will face off against the Miami Heat at 6:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 15. The Miami team could feature Shabazz Napier, Tyler Johnson, Danilo Barthel, Andre Dawkins, and Jerrell Benimon.

After those three preliminary games, the Wizards will be seeded in the Summer League tournament, which will be in its second year of existence.

As with the NBA Summer Leagues in 2010, 2011, and 2013 (summer league was cancelled in 2012 due to the NBA lockout), Truth About It.net will be on-hand in Las Vegas to provide coverage.

Kyle founded TAI in 2007 and has been weaving in and out the world of Wizards ever since, ducking WittmanFaces, jumping over G-Wiz, and avoiding stints on the DNP-Conditioning list. He has covered the Washington pro basketball team as a member of the media since 2009. Kyle lives in D.C. with his wife, loves basketball, and has no pets.

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